Utilization of wireless communication systems to communicate telephonically has achieved wide popularity in recent years. Because a wireline connection is not required to effectuate telephonic communication, communication by way of a wireless communication system is possible at a location to which formation of a wireline connection would be impractical or impossible.
Cellular communication networks, for instance, have been installed throughout significant portions of the world. Large numbers of subscribers to such cellular networks are able to communicate telephonically when positioned in areas encompassed by such cellular networks. Telephonic communication of both voice and data are permitted in such networks.
A subscriber to a cellular communication network communicates therethrough by way of a mobile terminal. Some cellular communication networks utilize digital communication techniques in which information is digitized prior to its communication and subsequent to its reception. Processing circuitry is utilized to act upon information, prior to its transmission, and subsequent to its reception.
Technological advancements have permitted the miniaturization of the circuitry of the processing circuitry, as well as other circuitry, of which mobile terminals are formed. Such advancements have permitted the packaging of mobile terminals to correspondingly be miniaturized to increase the portability of such mobile terminals. Mobile terminals are regularly of physical dimensions which permit their carriage by a user and stored, for instance, in a shirt pocket, or the like, of the user.
The technological advancements which have permitted the miniaturization of the circuitry of mobile terminals have also permitted the miniaturization of other electronic devices, such as computing devices. And, merging of technologies, has resulted in the development of mobile terminals which include capability more conventionally associated with computing devices. And, computing devices increasingly include additional communication capabilities as a result of technological advancements and merging of technologies. The term “mobile terminal” shall herein refer to a broad range of devices and not solely devices operable merely to communicate in a cellular communication system. Point-to-point connections conventionally provided between computing devices, such as infrared or Bluetooth connections, are accordingly possible between mobile terminals, as defined herein.
Processing circuitry is generally capable of running, i.e., executing, content, also referred to herein as an application program. The terms content and application programs shall be used interchangeably herein and shall each refer to digital information. Content, executable or otherwise usable by the processing circuitry is typically stored at a memory device which is accessible by the processing circuitry. The content is initially stored at the storage device by downloading the content thereto. Downloading content to a mobile terminal is regularly performed. Transfer of information utilizing the World Wide Web (www), for instance, pertains primarily to such transfer of information. And, a Nokia 9000 Series TM permits the downloading of content thereto by way of a cable or infrared connection from a source, such as a personal computer.
The origin and integrity of downloaded content is provided by various manners. For instance, Authenticode™ provided by Microsoft™ is an example of a commercially-available manner by which to verify the origin and integrity of downloaded content. The use of Authenticode™ makes use of certificates which are defined in an ISOX.509 standard to verify the origin and integrity of downloaded content. Other manners by which to verify the origin and integrity of downloaded content typically make use of such certificates. As noted above, existing mobile terminals are capable of receiving content downloaded thereto. Increased amounts of, and types of, content shall likely be available to be downloadable to a mobile terminal in the future. Some, and perhaps much, of such content is private-domain content. That is to say, an owner, or other entity, has property rights in such content, and is entitled to payment for use of such content. Convenient manners by which to market, distribute and invoice for use of such content are needed.
Perhaps one of the most effective manners by which to market content to a prospective user of the content is by way of another user of the content, already-installed at the other user's mobile terminal. Such marketing, in essence, is a mouth-to-mouth marketing method.
If a manner could be provided by which to permit immediate downloading of the content from the mobile terminal at which the content is already-installed to the mobile terminal of a user desiring to have such content installed on that user's mobile terminal, while also providing a manner by which to insure that the private-domain entity having the property rights in the content shall be properly credited for the additional user's use of the content, a new, and efficient manner by which to market content would improve marketing possibilities associated with the content.
It is in light of this background information related to the floating and execution of content at a mobile terminal that the significant improvements of the present invention have evolved.